San Diego Lines Up Five Operas, Solo Recitals in 1999-2000 Season

The 1999-2000 season of San Diego Opera will present five operas, in addition to recitals by opera singers Sylvia McNair, Galina Gorchakova and Simon Estes.

The first opera of the Jan. 22 to May 24 season is Verdi’s “Il Trovatore,” in a new production designed by John David Peters in his San Diego debut, with costumes by John Conklin. Leading roles will be sung by Richard Margison, Sondra Radanovsky (debut), Kathryn Day, Richard Zeller and Brian Matthews (debut). Edoardo Muller will conduct; Opera company general director Ian Campbell will be stage director. Five performances are scheduled between Jan. 22 and Feb. 2.

John Keyes, Eva Johansson, Mariana Pentcheva and Greer Grimsley, all in their San Diego Opera debuts, are the principals in Wagner’s “Lohengrin,” to be performed four times, Feb. 13-22. Heinz Fricke conducts; Andrew Sinlciar will make his company debut as stage director.

Mozart’s “Don Giovanni,” in a new production created for Cologne Opera, continues the season, April 1-12, conducted by Leopold Hager (debut) and staged by Michael Hampe, who designed the sets. Ferruccio Furlanetto sings the title role; Deborah Riedel is Donna Anna. In company debuts are Jennifer Casey-Cabot (Donna Elvira), Eirian James (Zerlina) and Laurence Dale (Don Ottavio).

Andre Previn’s “A Streetcar Named Desire,” in a San Francisco Opera production, will have Sheryl Woods, Elizabeth Futral (debut) and David Okerlund in leading roles. Karen Keltner will conduct. Colin Graham will be stage director. Performances are scheduled April 22-30.

Closing the season is the San Diego Opera production of Puccini’s “La Boheme,” last seen in 1995. It returns in five performances, May 13-24, conducted by Richard Bonynge and staged by Sharon Ott. Principals will be Izabela Labuda, Cynthia Clayton, Fernando de la Mora, Hector Vasquez, Oziel Garza-Ornelas and Kevin Langan.

All performances will be at the Civic Theatre in San Diego.

The three recitals will be sung by soprano Sylvia McNair (Oct. 24), basso Simon Estes (March 4) and soprano Galina Gorchakova (April 24), all in Sherwood Auditorium in La Jolla.

Information: (619) 232-7636.